Lesson Plan | Active Learning | Verbs: Review of the Verb to Be

Assumptions: This Active Lesson Plan assumes: a 100-minute class, prior student study with both the Book and the start of Project development, and that only one activity (among the three suggested) will be chosen to be conducted during the class, as each activity is designed to take up a significant portion of the available time.

Objectives

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The Objectives stage is essential to establish a clear foundation of what is expected for students to learn and apply during the lesson. By defining specific objectives, the teacher guides students on the focus of the session, preparing them for targeted interactions and practical activities. This stage also serves to align expectations between the teacher and students, ensuring that both comprehend the criteria for success in learning the verb to be.

Main Objectives:

1. Empower students to recognize the importance of the verb to be in the structure of the English language.

2. Develop students' ability to use the verb to be correctly in different contexts and forms.

Side Objectives:

1. Encourage active participation from students through discussions and practical examples during the lesson.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The Introduction serves to engage students with the content they reviewed at home and to establish a connection between theoretical knowledge and its practical application. The proposed problem situations stimulate students to think critically about using the verb to be in real scenarios, preparing them for practical application in the classroom. The contextualization highlights the importance of the verb to be in daily life, motivating students with real and relevant examples.

Problem-Based Situations

1. Imagine that you are traveling to a country where English is the official language and you need to explain your nationality. How would you use the verb to be in this context?

2. Consider a situation at an airport where an employee needs to confirm a passenger's information. How would the verb to be be used for that?

Contextualization

The verb to be is essential in English, used to form affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences, and is crucial in identifying personal and professional characteristics. For example, when describing someone, as in 'She is tall', or in time expressions, as in 'It is 3 o’clock'. Interestingly, the verb to be is often the first verb that students learn in English due to its relevance and everyday use.

Development

Duration: (75 - 80 minutes)

The Development stage is designed to enable students to practically and interactively apply the concepts of the verb to be reviewed at home. Through playful and contextualized activities, students have the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge and develop communicative skills in English. The proposed activities aim not only at grammatical understanding but also at fluency and confidence in using the verb to be in varied situations, promoting active participation and teamwork.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended to carry out only one of the suggested activities

Activity 1 - Verb to Be Detective

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Practice recognizing and correctly using the verb to be in different contexts, as well as encouraging teamwork and problem-solving.

- Description: In this activity, students become linguistic detectives to solve a mystery using the verb to be. They will receive a set of clues written in English that describe a fictional crime, and each clue will contain a specific form of the verb to be. The challenge is to recognize and correctly classify the forms of the verb found in the clues to unravel the mystery.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Distribute the mystery clues, which will contain sentences using different forms of the verb to be.

• Each group must identify and record the forms of the verb to be found in the clues.

• After collecting the clues, groups must discuss and compile a report on who they believe is the culprit, using the linguistic evidence found.

Activity 2 - Interview with Celebrities

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Develop fluency and confidence in the use of the verb to be in simulated communication contexts, as well as promote presentation skills and teamwork.

- Description: Students, in groups, take on the role of reporters and prepare an interview with a fictional celebrity. They must formulate questions that involve the use of the verb to be in different forms (affirmative, negative, interrogative) and then perform the interview, correctly using the verb to be.

- Instructions:

• Organize students into groups of up to 5 people.

• Each group chooses a fictional celebrity to be interviewed.

• The groups prepare a set of questions that use the verb to be in various forms.

• Conduct the interviews in the classroom, where each group acts as the reporter and celebrity, correctly utilizing the verb to be.

Activity 3 - Theater of Professions

> Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

- Objective: Explore the use of the verb to be in professional contexts, reinforcing learning through a creative and oral expression activity.

- Description: In this playful activity, students, grouped, create small theatrical plays where each character represents a profession. They must use the verb to be to describe their profession, responsibilities, and necessary qualities for the role.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group chooses a profession for each group member to represent.

• Groups write the dialogue of their play, including the appropriate use of the verb to be to describe the functions and characteristics of each profession.

• Groups perform their plays for the class, practicing the use of the verb to be in a fun and dynamic context.

Feedback

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

The purpose of this stage is to provide students with the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned and how they applied the verb to be in practical contexts. This discussion helps consolidate the knowledge acquired, allowing students to articulate their experiences and clarify any remaining doubts. Additionally, the exchange of ideas in groups promotes communication and collaboration skills, which are essential for language learning.

Group Discussion

At the end of the practical activities, organize a group discussion with all students. Start the discussion by recalling the main objectives of the lesson and ask each group to share their discoveries and experiences. Encourage students to discuss the challenges encountered, how they overcame those challenges, and what new insights they gained about the use of the verb to be. This moment is crucial for students to collectively reflect on the application of the verb to be in different contexts and solidify their learning through the exchange of ideas.

Key Questions

1. What were the main challenges your group faced when applying the verb to be in the activities and how did you overcome them?

2. How can the use of the verb to be vary in different contexts, such as professional, social, or academic?

3. Is there any specific situation where the use of the verb to be is still confusing for you? How can we clarify that?

Conclusion

Duration: (5 - 10 minutes)

The purpose of the Conclusion is to ensure that students have a clear and consolidated understanding of the concepts discussed during the lesson. By summarizing, the teacher helps students mentally organize the information learned. Furthermore, by highlighting the connection between theory and practice and discussing the relevance of the content for real situations, the Conclusion reinforces the importance of the verb to be and motivates students to continue exploring and applying what they have learned.

Summary

To conclude the lesson, the teacher will summarize the main points covered concerning the verb to be, highlighting its forms and uses in different contexts. It will be emphasized how the verb to be is fundamental for forming affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences, and its application in personal, professional, and temporal descriptions.

Theory Connection

The teacher will explain how today's lesson connected the theory studied at home with practice in class, through activities that simulated real situations of using the verb to be. It will be highlighted how these activities helped solidify theoretical knowledge and develop practical communication skills in English.

Closing

Finally, the importance of the verb to be in everyday life, both in formal and informal contexts, will be discussed, and how mastering this verb is essential for fluency in English. Students will be encouraged to continue practicing the use of the verb to be in their daily activities and to ask questions whenever doubts arise, thus promoting continuous learning.